CrossFit Regionals come to SA

By Sarah Tressler :
May 22, 2013
: Updated: May 24, 2013 4:35pm

Drew Bignall will be vying for the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" this weekend. He owns Mission CrossFit Gym, where he works with patrons on Thursday, May 23, 2013.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Drew Bignall will be vying for the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" this weekend. He owns Mission CrossFit Gym, where he works with patrons on Thursday, May 23, 2013.

Photo By Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News

Drew Bignall will be vying for the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" this weekend. He owns Mission CrossFit Gym, where he works with patrons on Thursday, May 23, 2013.

Entrepreneur Rick Martinez, a registered nurse, developed his Alamo CrossFit gym as a place to combine health and wellness and promote overall fitness.

Photo By J. MICHAEL SHORT/SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Angelina Martinez, left, does the Sumo-Deadlift-Highpull portion of the CrossFit Fight Gone Bad competition in the Alon Market parking lot, Saturday, September 25, 2010 in San Antonio. The competition, along with Martinez's husband Michael's Victory 400 run which proceeded, were both to raise money and awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Photo By HELEN L. MONTOYA/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Rick Martinez, owner of Alamo Crossfit, leads a group of clients through the Workout of the Day on Wednesday Sept. 15, 2010.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Erica Villarreal, right, lies exhausted on the floor after a grueling workout at CrossFit fitness program at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

John Ledesma, left, celebrates with Erica Villarreal after a workout at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Alan Lipe strains during a squat lift with wights during a workout at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Eric Villarreal gets a workout on the rings during a competetive game of "HORSE" at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Rick Martinez, left, owner of Alamo CrossFit, encourages Jhn Clopton during a workout on the rings, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Erica Villarreal works out with wights during a training session at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Jeff Gainok lies exhausted on the floor after a workout at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

CrossFit fitness program at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Eric Villarreal, left, and John Ledesma workout with kettlebells during a session at Alamo CrossFit, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Photo By BOB OWEN/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Rick Martinez, left, owner of Alamo CrossFit, watches Jeff Gainok as he works ball slams at the gym, Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Jennifer Schulz (right) works on a dead lift while Tommy Williams looks on during a workout session at Comal CrossFit.

More than 250 people from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi will converge this weekend at San Antonio's Freeman Coliseum to compete in the CrossFit South Central Regionals and qualify for the 2013 national CrossFit Games in Carson, Calif., July 22-28.

CrossFit, which was started in Santa Cruz, Calif., in 2000, has developed a cult-like following over the past 13 years, with gyms, or “boxes” popping up worldwide.

The regimen uses basic exercises, like squats or pull-ups, done in competition with others at the gym, who all complete the workout of the day, or “WOD” together, sometimes for time.

Although the CrossFit craze seems to be on the rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study Tuesday that found 60 percent of Americans are overweight and obese, and that only 1 in 5 Americans met federal guidelines for both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening exercise.

As those Americans noticeably will be absent from this weekend's competition, San Antonians interested in seeing the regional competition can get information for tickets at games.crossfit.com.

The prizes for the male and female winner of the national competition aren't skimpy — each stands to win $250,000 apiece.